Genge the hero with homecoming double
Bristol …………….31pts
Tries: Genge 1, 72; Bradbury 27, Morahan 35, Capon 78
Conversions: Sheedy 3, MacGinty 73, 78
Bath ………………..29pts
Tries: B Spencer 15, Dunn 55
Conversions: Francis 16, 56
Penalties: Francis 9, 21, 40, 67, 75
Baby rhino Ellis Genge returned to Bristol a bear and his knee-pumping, two-try homecoming propelled the hosts to a late win in a pulsating, riotous West Country derby.
Genge's two superb tries bookended a chaotic match which had just about everything, including Niall Annett being sent off for brawling on debut for Bath before he had even stepped onto the pitch.
The derby threatened to spill into farce just before half-time. Luke Morahan had just polished off a sweeping attacking move by Bristol when a fracas broke out in the corner where the Australian had dotted down and where Bath's replacements were gathered.
With no TMO due to the late rescheduling of the fixture, Tom Foley showed red to Annett – who was still in his bib – and also sent Bristol's Callum Sheedy to the bin. Still the tensions bubbled.
It was a half that went from the sublime to the ridiculous, having begun with a rafter-lifting try for Ellis Genge on just 57 seconds.
Bath lost their England prop Beno Obano to a serious-looking left leg injury on 20 minutes, while their Ben Spencer-Piers Francis axis looks a potent halfback partnership.
The match signalled the official start of the Johann van Graan era at Bath. The head of rugby had pledged his side would be built on the foundations of fitness, smart kicking and defence. But the last of those was sorely lacking when Genge went over in the opening minute, Josh McNally offering lukewarm resistance before further standoff-ish tackling allowed the prop to waltz over.
There was more for the Bath coaches to wince at when Chris Cloete, Bath's new openside flanker, hobbled off on eight minutes after a strong carry through midfield, but Francis settled the visitors' nerves with a simple penalty.
Ben Spencer then marked his recent appointment as captain by turning the Bristol defence inside out with a try that highlighted both his raw speed and his speed of thought. Francis converted and swiftly added a penalty to give the visitors a 13-7 lead.
With just over a quarter of the match played, Bath faced an acid test. Bristol turned down a simple kick on goal and instead went for the corner. Would Bath's maul – so leaky last season – stand up to scrutiny?
It did, with Dave Attwood, back at Bath after a sojourn at Bristol via Toulon, instrumental. But Bristol stayed patient and got their due reward when debutant Magnus Bradbury dotted down in the right corner.
Bath received an eye-watering 20 yellow cards last season and they were back to bad habits just before the break when centre Will Butt was sinbinned for killing the ball – just before Annett sent the indiscipline up another notch.
The hosts led by a single point at the break and at the resumption Charles Piutau looked like a man in a hurry to land Bristol's bonus point.
But it was Bath – their set piece looking increasingly assured – who took the lead when the livewire Tom Dunn finished off a powerful drive. Francis continued to kick immaculately.
Genge's second converted try – atrue bulldozer from a tap penalty – reduced Bristol's deficit to two.
Francis slotted another penalty, but Will Capon finished off a lineout drive and AJ MacGinty's conversion swung it 31-29 to the hosts.
Francis tried to steal it with a final-second drop goal – but for the first time he missed.
